


The Mission

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: M/M, challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-22
Updated: 2006-03-22
Packaged: 2019-02-02 15:07:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12728961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: Daniel has had too much caffeine and too little sleep when Jack comes to visit.





	The Mission

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

Jack O'Neill was tired. SG 1 had just been released from the infirmary after a post mission check with firm orders from General Hammond and Doctor Frasier to exit the base for a much needed 48 hour stand down. He had reached the base entrance when it occurred to him that he better check to see if ---he who follows no orders---had by some miracle, actually chosen to, for once, do as he was told. 

"No Sir, Doctor Jackson hasn't left the base as of yet." Airman Andrews cringed slightly as he relayed the unwelcome information. Doctor Jackson's notorious habit of holing up on base to catch up on research was very well known among the entrance guards. Equally well known was the temper of the SGC's 2nd in command when he was forever informed of the present situation. 

"Damn! Does that man ever follow orders?!" 

Airman Andrews knew a rhetorical question when he heard one and wisely maintained his silence. He didn't realize that he had been holding his breath until it exploded from his lips in a silent puff as Colonel O'Neill spun around on his heels and stalked off toward the elevators. Andrews swore if one was to look closely enough you could see a small thundercloud developing directly above the Colonel's head. 

Jack savagely hit the down button for the elevator all the while running through the events of the last few hours. Doctor Frasier had not been pleased to see the haggard appearance on the faces of SG 1 when they appeared in the infirmary three hours ago. The upside to their appearance was no one was injured or required an extended stay under the stern doctor's care. The downside being exhaustion was finally catching up with the team after a series of four back to back missions. The last one had been grueling in the fact that they had had to combat torrential rain and winds for two days before reaching the stargate to go home. True, it was better than coming up against their favorite playmates.....Apophis, Sokar, Cronos, and Hathor but it had been tiring non the less. Daniel in particular had been driving himself past the point of exhaustion since Sha're's death in an effort to find Kheb. His every spare moment was consumed with the need to find the planet where the harsesis child had been sent. 

"Colonel O'Neill!" 

'Shit! Busted!' Jack hastily prepared a reason for the question he knew was about to roll from General Hammond's lips. "Yes Sir." 

"Why are you still here when SG 1 has specific orders to leave this base and relax for the next 48 hours?" "Is it a new policy of yours to disobey your commanding officer and the chief physician when they order you off base?" Hammond was clearly in command mode -hands clasped behind his back and an expectant look on his face. 

"Ahhh, no Sir, no new policies here..I was just on my way to pick up something `yeah right, or someone' before I left Sir." Jack was finding it rather hard to maintain his poker face against the glaring onslaught of General Hammond's gaze. The mantra of `please buy it, please buy it' was playing over and over in Jack's mind as he waited for Hammond's response to his vague and pitifully weak excuse. 

"See that you make it quick Colonel, I wouldn't want to be in your shoes if you run into Doctor Fraiser." With that said Hammond continued on down the hall. 

Jack relaxed visibly thinking `There is a God..'. But before he could make two steps down the hall the general's voice floated back to him. 

"By the way Colonel, when you pick that "something" up please see that it does not overload on it's usual diet of caffeine and candy bars.". 

"Yes Sir." `How does he do that?!' He made a firm resolve to start working on a better poker face, as he was obviously not fooling anyone these days. Maybe lessons from Teal'c were in order. Pushing that thought to the back of his mind Jack continued his way into the depths of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. `Relax. I wonder if that word exists in the Space Monkey's extensive vocabulary base?' Daniel's idea of relaxation was a far cry from any one's definition of relaxation. Relaxation for him usually consisted of a quart of high quality Columbian coffee and furious note taking as he scanned three or four reference books propped on his cluttered desk. 

The sound of rolling wheels as he approached Daniel's office piqued Jack's attention. The rolling sound stopped, then started, and then stopped again. `What the hell..?'. A glance into the organized chaos of Daniel's office provided Jack with the answer to his internal question. 

Daniel was whizzing from pillar to post on his chair frantically checking several opened reference texts placed strategically around the room. It did not take black ops training to realize that Daniel was juiced to the gills on the high grade coffee he kept in his lab and that he was intent on staying that way as indicated by another batch of the java currently brewing. He was muttering to himself as he continued his human pinball imitation. As the seconds passed Daniel's agitation grew, "God! Why can't I find this?!" Despair and frustration dripped from the words as his shaking hands nervously raked through his hair. "It has to be here!" 

Jack decided at that moment to make his presence known before Daniel experienced his own personal melt down. "Daniel. We're on stand down and were ordered off the base by Fraiser, have you no self preservation skills at all?" Jack winced at the snap he was sure he heard as Daniel jerked his head in the direction of Jack's voice. 

"What? Oh, Jack. Haven't you gone home yet?" 

"No Daniel, I haven't, and before you ask why I'll tell you why. As leader of this team I can't go home until the rest of my team has gone home..and Daniel,.I WANT TO GO HOME. So...GO HOME before Frasier has both of our asses in a sling or worse!" 

"Teal'c didn't go home" 

"Daniel, base is Teal'c's home. This, is your office. Any questions?" 

Daniel sighed. "I know the difference Jack, it's just that all my research books are here and I'm on a roll in my search for Kehb." 

"Daniel, the only reason you are on a roll at the moment is because you are sitting in a chair that happens to have wheels. Fraiser told you to go home and relax and that's what you are going to do." Having made his final statement on the subject Jack grabbed Daniel by the collar as he wheeled past making a beeline for the coffee pot. 

"Jaaack.." 

"Daniel, don't whine, don't argue, don't talk, just walk." Jack firmly shut Daniel's office door after making sure the errant archeologist was ahead of him in the hall. 

"Jack, this is stupid. I'm not tired and I can relax while I'm working." groused Daniel as they headed for the elevator. "I'm 35 years old! I don't need someone watching over me." 

Jack looked at Daniel as they waited for the elevator. What he saw was not a pretty sight. Daniel's face showed the exhaustion and stress of their recent missions-dark circles under his eyes and the perpetual frown lines he got when faced with a problem he was no where near solving. No, Jack wasn't a colonel for nothing, circles under the eyes plus a perpetual frown equals..a nap. Daniel desperately needed a nap. "Daniel, we're going home, no arguments." 

Airman Andrews heard them before he actually laid eyes on them as both Daniel and Jack neared the base entrance. 

"Jack, for the fiftieth time, I AM NOT TIRED!" 

"Yes Daniel, YOU ARE!" 

"AM NOT!" 

"ARE TOO!" 

"NOT!" 

"TOO!" 

They came to a stop at the desk as Airman Andrews tried to look as if he had not been gawking at them since they had exited the elevator. Looking up from the paperwork on his desk he was treated to the sight of one highly pissed off archeologist, who at the moment was sending death ray glares at a seemingly oblivious colonel. 

"Andrews, Doctor Jackson and I are leaving the base now. Under no circumstances is Doctor Jackson to be allowed back on base unless it is on orders from General Hammond or myself, do I make myself clear?" 

The death ray glare reached maximum capacity. 

"Crystal Sir." Andrews watched as Doctor Jackson stalked toward the parking lot with Colonel O'Neill strolling leisurely behind. 

The walk to Jack's vehicle was short and sweet.rank having its' privileges and all. Daniel waited at the passenger side for Jack to unlock the doors. Jack was beginning to rethink the carpooling idea, especially when facing Dr. Death Ray. `Okay, let's get it over with.'. Jack climbed in the jeep as Daniel was shutting his door. The silence was deafening. A quick glance to the passenger side told Jack that this would be an extremely quiet ride home. The set of Daniel's jaw and the tightly folded arms across the chest let him know that Daniel would not be ready to discuss anything rationally at least through the ride home. 

Jack pulled into his driveway 20 minutes later. Twenty minutes that seemed more like 2 hours. Despite the headache he knew was to come, Jack couldn't help but be confident he was doing the right thing. Hell, Daniel hadn't even noticed when they drove past his apartment. That slip in observation by someone who lived his life observing spoke volumes in and of itself. 

Just as Jack finished that thought Daniel raised his head and looked around. "This isn't my apartment!". 

`Ah, the observation skills have kicked in, let the games begin.' 

"Daniel, I know how much rest you would have gotten at your apartment so I made a command decision and decided you would be better off at Chez O'Neill for the night." 

"Who appointed you my keeper?" 

"That would be the Air Force actually, so please, humor me and come in the house." 

"Do I have a choice?" 

Daniel sat on the edge of the sofa his whole body vibrating with tension. He shouldn't be here! He should be back on base finding any and all references that would help him find Kehb! "Jack, I need to be working! I made a promise to Sha're to find her child and I can't do it from here." He got up from the sofa and began pacing the room. 

Jack looked at him with concern. "I know what you promised Danny, but I also know that you need rest. You can't function at your best when you are wired on coffee and not sleeping. You're no good to the team or yourself in this condition." 

Daniel's shoulders slumped in resignation of the truth. He was tired, and he had been functioning on fumes for more days than he cared to count. He sat back down on the sofa and leaned his head back. "I know you're right but this is so important." 

"Important enough for us to need you at peak performance Daniel." Jack said softly. 

"I don't know if I can sleep, there's so many thoughts running through my mind" 

"Well Danny m'boy, fortunately here at Chez O'Neill we have the perfect remedy for insomnia..music to soothe the savage beast. 

Daniel lifted his head from the sofa with a raised eyebrow and look of suspicion. "You're not going to make me listen to opera are you? I want to sleep not go into a coma." 

Jack chose not to dignify that remark with an answer and simply turned out the lights and sat on the floor resting his back against the sofa where Daniel had stretched himself out. 

The song playing on the stereo was vaguely familiar to Daniel. He had never been much of a music buff but did recognize it as a tune from the 70's. It was oddly comforting in a way, as was Jack's presence. He closed his eyes and let himself drift away with the music safe in the knowledge that Jack would help him find the answers to his quest for Kehb. 

Jack listened as the breathing from the sofa even out into that of sleep. He smiled as he thought of the friend that was now sprawled on his couch. His mission complete, Jack also followed the path to sleep.


End file.
